Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-09-08

than Miss Persis; and she did more
than any two of the ladies. Is she sat
silently sewing while the rest worked
and talked the while about Mr.. Peters
new house, or a new kind of crochet.
or a particularly toothsome receipt for
nut-cake, or on any of the numerous
topics of village sewing society. The
poor Western missionary may have
found cause to bless the labors of Miss
Persis; but the poor about the town
knew her charities only as they came
in the general church collection or in
cast-off garments sent by the minis
ter's wife.
There was poor Mrs. Turner. who
was Miss Persis' nearest neighbor,
and who was left widow with eight
little children to bring up. Miss
Persis wished that she could do some
thing for her; she thought it would be
..real treat" to sew for those
children-but she never dared to offer
to. She wouldn't have known what to
say.
Miss Persis used to watch the chill
dren as they passed her house on their
way to school. She had peculiar
skill in making a certain old-fashioned
kind of molasses cooky. with scol-
loped edges, and she always kept Jar
full of them in hopes that sometimes
she might find chance to give them
to the children. She never did find
the chance, and as she could not eat
them all herself, nor commit the
wasteful sin of throwing away good
things. she used. after they had grown
somewhat dry, to take them in a paper
bag and 60 out on very lonely coun-
try lane, when there was mild and
amiable cow tethered and feed the cow
with the scolloped cookies. She thought
that if any one should come along she
might pretend she was gathering
berries. A great many huckleberries
grew in this particular lane; and that
was one reason why Miss Persis picked
out that COW.
The cooky jar was always kept re-
plenished; but she never was able to
offer its contents to the children.
Once, indeed, the Turner baby fell down
right in front of her gate, and Miss
Persis, on the impulse of the moment,
opened her front door and hurried
down the walk to pick him up. But
when the baby saw gaunt Miss Persis
stalking like grenadier toward him.
he cried louder than ever, and forget
ting his bump, ran home as fast as he
could move his fat red legs.
don't suppose l should ever have
known any thing about this side of
Miss Persis if it had not been for an
accident; and this was the way it hap
pened.
Invent on an errand to Miss Persis-
not sent this time, for had grown up,
and the errand was of my own max
ing. Miss Persis had in her garden a
rather uncommon variety of hollyhock;
and as prided myself upon my own
assortment of hollyhock. l was very
anxious to get some seeds of this one,
unique in the ncighborhood. So l
mustered up my courage to go and
ask for some. went to look at my
hollyhocks before l started, just to see
how very much wanted this new one
among them. for l had to encourage
myself. As walked along. switching
the bushes at the side of the road with
little stick and humming a tune, 1
tried to pretend didn't mind;" but 1
did. dreadfully. for l had never lost my
childish fear of Miss Persis.
When reached the yard, there were
the hollyhocks; so, keeping them in
my sight by way of encouragement, 1
walked up the path and pulled the bell.
To my dsmay, the rusted wire broke.
and the knob came off in my hand.
This was awful! 1t was bad enough
to ask for the seeds, but how could l
ever apologize for the dislocation of
the bell knob! But it had to be done;
so. trying to be brave. walked
around to knock at the kitchen door.
Though the door was wide open.
Miss Persis did not hear my steps.
She was sitting in rocking chair. her
face half turned away from the door,
bending slightly forward, and holding
on one arm a doll!
stood ansfixed on the doorstone,
and Miss Persis. glancing up. started
from her chair, and. after looking
wildly around for some place to hide
herself. remained with her eyes fixed
on mine l tried to say something
about the bell knob and my errand.
but Miss Persis stood speeches., her
face working convulsively and dull
red flush creeping up to her hair.
Forgetting myself in my pity for her
terrible shame and confusion. went
in. and. stepping up to her. put my
arm around her waist. She gripped
the arm with her hard hand. and, with
dry, ehoked sob. sank into the rock
ing-chair.
II love dolls" 1 said. '.and what a
lovely one this isr'
'-Do you?" said Miss Persis, with
just faint look of relief. Il thought
you'd Think was crazy-but you don't
know. Is'pose you always had dolls.